Venus joins Serena in early French Open exit

Reuters: After four days of play, the French Open was left without a Williams sister in the draw on Wednesday when former runner-up Venus joined 2002 champion Serena in making an early exit.

Serena (L) and Venus Williams during a doubles exhibition tennis match against Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone of Italy in Milan – Reuters

Venus, seven times a grand-slam winner but now coping with an autoimmune disease, went out tamely 6-2 6-3 to third seed Agnieszka Radwanska.

Serena, whose shock first-round defeat by Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano reverberated through the Roland Garros courts on Tuesday, was in the stands to see her big sister thrashed by an in-form Radwanska.

Tennis fans rued the loss of both Americans, two of the biggest characters in women’s tennis, but thankfully the men’s favourites are playing to form and both world number one Novak Djokovic and record-breaking 2009 champion Roger Federer survived into the third round.

At least one of the Williams sisters has featured at every French Open since 1997, except for last year when they were both injured, and they contested the final in 2002, with Serena winning.